Shelby's True Passion
by Lily Hanson
Summary: Mr. Watkins wants his daughter to follow in his footsteps. Shelby just wants to do what makes her happy.
1. The Progress Report

_Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers Dino Charge. This story is fan-made._

Running the Dino Cafe and leading tours through the museum was almost a dream job for Shelby. Going on more digs and getting to learn more and more about paleontology had been absolutely amazing. The pink Ranger loved her new position all around. However, she knew it wasn't permanent, and it seemed like her ideal situation was starting to come to an end.

Her family owned a very successful ice-cream business in town: Watkins Ice-Cream. Her father, a very strong, very devoted businessman, was living out his dream by running the shop he had inherited from his father. Eventually, he planned on passing down the business to his one and only child with the hopes that she would love the job as much as he loved it, and as much as his father had loved it.

Shelby had other ideas. She couldn't remember a time where dinosaurs and prehistoric life hadn't been fascinating to her. From the time she could talk, she had always voiced an interest in paleontology. Her parents, thinking it was just a phase, allowed her some leeway to practice her passion growing up, but as her adult life began to loom closer, they started to push her more towards the family business. It was strong, stable, and would provide Shelby with plenty of financial cushion throughout her life. She knew they only wanted the best for her, but their best was her nightmare.

She worked out a compromise with her parents. Instead of going to school to study business, she would learn about keeping a business up and running by working with Kendall Morgan in the cafe. She had learned to balance check books, create shift schedules, manage employees, handle customers and bring in huge profits for minimal costs. She had to admit, the business gene hadn't skipped over her. She could see herself doing well working at Watkins Ice-Cream.

However, she couldn't love it. Working in the cafe had never been her passion, and though she seemed to be thriving, her true love was still paleontology. She really excelled in her studies under Kendall in the museum itself, learning all about the dinosaurs and other animals that called Earth home during the Mesozoic. She enjoyed learning about the plant life, the shape of the continents at the time, and how they influenced life on Earth as they shifted. She absolutely loved leading tours and sharing her knowledge with others.

Making money didn't matter much to her. She could be a millionaire like her father, but unless she was doing what she truly loved, she knew she wouldn't be happy. However, she couldn't get her father to understand, and now, after a few months of making everyone happy, her father was starting to pressure her once more into working at the Ice-Cream shop.

After a long night of tossing and turning, Shelby walked into the museum. She was early for her shift intentionally, as she planned on speaking with Kendall about her situation. She hoped the purple Ranger would be as understanding and helpful this time as she had been the last.

"Ms. Morgan?" she called out as she walked into the lab. "Do you have a minute to talk?"

"You're early," Kendall answered, looking up from her computer and glancing quickly at her watch. "Even by my standards."

"I know," Shelby nodded and then handed her boss an envelope, "but my dad wanted me to give you this."

Kendall took the envelope and opened it. Inside she found what appeared to be a progress report form and a letter. Reading the letter over quickly, she knew the problem Shelby was facing. Her father wanted her to move on from the museum. She looked to Shelby, saw the glum look on the pink Ranger's face and sighed.

"What exactly do you need?"

"To get my dad off my back," Shelby sighed and took a seat. "I thought this arrangement would show him that I can be successful in paleontology, and that it's something I can stick to and support myself on. But he's starting to insist again that dinosaurs are just a hobby, not a job."

"And have you spoken with him on the matter?"

"My whole life," Shelby groaned. "He's a good dad. The best, really, but he's really stubborn. When he wants something, it doesn't matter how many times someone tells him no. He goes after it."

"That... explains so much," Kendall muttered under her breath, chuckling a little. Shelby caught what the purple Ranger said and gave her a quick glare. Kendall smiled and nodded her head. "That's what makes him a good business man, Shelby. You need to be able to fight. You need to go after what you need. No one is going to hand you a perfectly running business on a silver platter."

"But you would think he could cut the business crap with his daughter, right?"

"I don't think he's being a businessman with you," Kendall suggested, then shrugged her shoulders. "I can't claim any expertise on the matter, but it's always sounded to me like your father is just... being a dad."

"You're going to have to explain that."

"I'm not exactly the perfect model for a career in paleontology," Kendall told Shelby and gestured around the lab. "Not everyone in this field eventually ends up with all this. This is a very unpredictable career choice, with luck and faith playing a huge role. You understand that, right?"

"But if I know what I'm doing..."

"It's more than just that. I had to fight to be taken seriously. I started with nothing to my name and everything to prove. You know, no one took me seriously for the first few years, despite having some breakthrough accomplishments."

"Really?"

"I'm a woman," Kendall nodded her head. "Men don't exactly like being outdone in their field by a woman. Any success to my name was credited more to luck than hard work, talent, or skill. It's very much the same in the business world."

"So then why does dad think I'll do any better running the place myself?" Shelby asked and gestured to herself. "He does know a daughter means I'm a woman too, right?"

"Watkins Ice-Cream is already successful," Kendall stated. "With your last name, your father's support, you're going to be taken seriously a lot faster. In this field, you're alone. You have to make a name for yourself. You have to work so much harder just to move a couple of steps ahead."

"Really? I'm alone?" Shelby asked and looked a little hurt. "But Ms. Morgan, I... I thought... You'd help me."

"I can't do everything for you, Shelby."

"And I'd never want you to," Shelby said. "But we're... women, right?"

"Last I checked."

"If we want the men to take us seriously, wouldn't it be better if we helped each other?" Shelby asked. "You have a powerful voice now. Can't you use that to give mine a bit of a boost? Show these other Dino-it-alls that I'm just as good."

"Dino-it-alls?"

"It's... well, yeah," Shelby said and pointed to the progress report. "Can you just... fill that out in a way that convinces my dad to let me stay here? Ms. Morgan, I really, really love my job right now. Ice-cream... it's just going to kill me."

"I'll do what I can," Kendall nodded her head, then gestured to her watch, reminding Shelby it was time to get up to the cafe to start the day's work. As Shelby headed off, Kendall found she was having a hard time getting back to work herself. Shelby's words kept echoing in her head.

" _You have a powerful voice now. Can't you use that to give mine a bit of a boost? Show these other Dino-it-alls that I'm just as good."_

"Dammit," Kendall muttered, shut her laptop, grabbed Shelby's progress report and then made her way upstairs.


	2. Standing up to Mr Watkins

Watkins' Ice-Cream was a shop that Kendall knew well. Her parents had taken her there as a child as a form of bribery to get her to stop complaining when they forgot her birthday or missed out on a special event. The Fishers took her and Jeremy from time to time during hot summer days, just for fun. More recently, Kendall would take Cammy after school as a bit of a treat, and talk over ice-cream about their days.

All of Kendall's experiences with the business were of her as a costumer. This time, as she entered the shop, she was visiting for business purposes. She had Shelby's progress report in hand, as well as her tablet as she approached the front counter. She asked the boy working there if Mr. Watkins was in, then she was instructed to sit at a booth to wait for him. When Shelby's dad arrived, he had a big smile on his face. He too walked out with a tablet, and didn't hesitate to show Kendall what he had been working on.

"I had this idea I've been dying to run by you," he said as he took a seat. "Dino Ice Pops. As you can see, they've been widely successful here, and I've been thinking of expanding my business into the museum."

Kendall looked to the graphs on Mr. Watkins tablet then shook her head. "With all due respect, Mr. Watkins, I'm not here to talk business."

"You're not?" he asked just before spotting the progress report he had given to Shelby to pass along to her. "Ah, do you have a question about Shelby's results?"

"Quite the opposite, actually," Kendall answered. "I am here to discuss your daughter's performance, but I have no questions or concerns about her future. At least, none that are worrisome enough to keep me from telling you what an amazing asset your daughter has been to the museum."

"She will make a fine businesswoman," Mr. Watkins smiled. "It runs in the family you know. My father started this business from the ground up, and as soon as I graduated college, he passed it down to me. Once Shelby finishes school..."

"Again, with all due respect, your daughter is... _not_ a businesswoman," Kendall said. "Of course, she could do well in the business world. She's been running my cafe for the last few months pretty flawlessly for someone with such little experience. However, well, I guess there is a concern I'd like to discuss with you."

"Discuss away," Mr. Watkins said, leaning back so he was sitting comfortably. Kendall could already tell he had no idea what she was going to tell him next, and she started to feel badly for Shelby. The pink Ranger had such an obvious love for dinosaurs, and a huge passion for paleontology. While Kendall had her doubts when she first hired the waitress, Shelby had proven time and time again that she wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty, and that she wasn't just willing to put in the extra work that came with being a scientist, but she was happy to embrace the challenges, the setbacks and the long hours. Kendall had admittedly put the pink Ranger through the wringer and nothing had squashed Shelby's passion. It was a testament to just how well Shelby would thrive in her chosen field, given the opportunity.

"Shelby is a terrible waitress," Kendall told him bluntly, feeling he needed to hear the truth unfiltered. "She's never focused on the customers, she gets more than half her orders wrong and she has yet to memorize the table numbers. If she happens to get an order right, often, it will end up at a different table from where it was placed. She has spilled more soup than any other staff member, perhaps combined, she'll snack on rolls that are supposed to go out to customers, and, her biggest offence: she'll complain about her job tirelessly, no matter who is around."

"She just needs to focus," Mr. Watkin's said. "You told me yourself, she's been an amazing manager."

"It's not focus she lacks," Kendall argued. "It's the passion. Shelby _hates_ her job. She hates serving people food. She hates working in the cafe."

"But she's doing so well."

"She does well in paleontology," Kendall said. "In fact, she thrives in the museum. She can remember any fact about dinosaurs that you throw at her, and she's got a real passion for sharing her wealth of knowledge with all the guests that come through for her tours. In fact, since she's started leading tours, the satisfaction rating of the museum guests has skyrocketed. They love learning from someone who is so in love with what they do, and there is no one more passionate about paleontology than Shelby. And her drive is incredible. Mr. Watkins, I've given your daughter a tough time in preparation of life as a paleontologist, and I have yet to find a way to knock her down. She's resilient, she's hard working, she's engaged, she's... happy."

"Digging up dead reptiles?"

"I would love to take your daughter under my wing," Kendall said. "I'd like to pass on the duties of cafe manager to someone with a stronger passion for business to allow Shelby to focus on her dream. She shows amazing potential, Mr. Watkins, and I really think that with my help, she can make huge contributions to our understanding of the history of the Earth. You have a very amazing, talented, and very stubborn daughter. All of which are qualities that will help her thrive."

Mr. Watkins looked less than happy hearing this. He picked up his tablet and got out of the booth. Kendall followed him to the back of the shop, hoping she hadn't crossed a line and made the matter worse for the pink Ranger. After a moment of awkward silence, Mr. Watkins spoke.

"It terrifies me to no end to think of my little girl taking on something so... unpredictable, especially without a fall back."

"The best paleontologists turn their passion into a career. A fall back plan would only distract them. Shelby has the potential to be great."

"And what if she doesn't? What if no one takes her seriously?"

"That's how I started," Kendall shrugged her shoulders and Mr. Watkins looked to her.

"You?"

"I didn't sleep my way to where I am now, if that's what you think," Kendall frowned. "Mr. Watkins, I worked tirelessly on my reputation as a serious scientist. I've had groundbreaking research papers thrown back in my face due to my age and gender, as my senior colleagues believed me to be ripping off someone else's work. I've managed to break through it all and get to where I am today, and I don't have half the fight in me that your daughter has."

Kendall handed her tablet over to the pink Ranger's father with a smile as she showed off pictures of Shelby on various digs, both with the Rangers and with legitimate dig teams. In all of them, Shelby seemed happy.

"I truly believe in your daughter. I would put my reputation on the line to support her. I truly am sorry she doesn't want to follow in your footsteps, Mr. Watkins, but I think she was made for something other than ice cream."

"You have this much faith that she'll make it?"

"Have I mentioned how annoyingly stubborn she is?" Kendall chuckled and Mr. Watkins nodded.

"I'm afraid she gets that from me."

"Please, Mr. Watkins, let Shelby follow her own dreams. I assure you, you are not going to regret it."

"You'll take care of her?"

"Personally," Kendall promised.

Alright," Mr. Watkins breathed out deeply. "I guess ice-cream will always be around, just in case she changes her mind. Until then, if this is truly what makes her happy... Shelby can stay on with you and pursue her dream of dinosaurs."

"Thank you, Mr. Watkins," Kendall said and shook the man's hand with a bright smile. "You won't regret this."

"Ms. Morgan, I hope you're the one that doesn't come to regret this," Mr. Watkins chuckled. "I'm sure you know by now how much of a handful my daughter can be."

"Don't I know it," Kendall answered with a quick roll of the eyes. "All the more reason to trust in your daughter's potential. I wouldn't do this for just anyone."


	3. The Dream Job

Shelby walked into work that morning with a bright smile on her face – an odd sight unless she knew she was headed out on a dig or leading a tour. Tyler knew her schedule well though and was sure that Shelby was working in the cafe. Her smile confused him, and he turned to her with a curious frown as he tied up his apron.

"What's with the look?" he asked the pink Ranger, who shrugged and kissed him with a smile.

"I had a really great talk with my dad last night," Shelby said, with only added to Tyler's confusion. Shelby had a good relationship with both her parents, but especially after high school, her father really started to push her into taking over the family business and following in his footsteps as a businessman. Shelby didn't like that idea, as business wasn't her passion. She had always loved dinosaurs, and always wanted to have a career studying dinosaur bones and fossils. Anyone who had ever met her could see that was what made her happy, except her father. He seemed convinced his daughter was just like him, and probably would have had to been hit over the head with a sledgehammer before he changed his mind.

So it wasn't normal for Shelby to be so happy after a talk with her father.

"You did?"

"He's dropping the business stuff," Shelby smiled. "He told me that running Watkins' Ice Cream was his dream, and that I should follow mine. He told me that as long as Ms. Morgan was okay with taking me on, that I could try my hand at becoming a paleontologist."

"Really?" Tyler asked, looking a bit surprised. He had met Shelby's father a couple of times and knew the man was probably the only person more stubborn than Shelby. It didn't seem like him to suddenly change his mind. "No strings attached."

"He said he only wanted me to be happy," Shelby smiled. "Isn't this great? He's finally letting me do what I want."

"Out of the blue?" Tyler asked with a little smile on his face. "Just like that?"

"Well, I must have finally convinced him... right?" now that Tyler had said it, Shelby was starting to doubt what she knew. The red Ranger seemed concerned that her father would change his mind suddenly, and the more Shelby thought about it, the more she realized he was right. Something must have happened for her father to change his mind.

Or rather, someone. Shelby remembered dropping off a progress report with Kendall the day before and begging that the scientist do something to help convince her father to let her stay on at the museum and continue working part-time as a business woman and part-time as a student of science. Kendall hadn't seemed willing to bend at all to accommodate Shelby, but clearly she had to have done something.

The pink Ranger put down her clip board and hung up her apron before asking Tyler to cover her shift for her. When the red Ranger agreed, Shelby made her way down to the lab. There, she saw Kendall working with a new Charger. She thought against interrupting the purple Ranger, but her desire to find out for sure what had happened to convince her father to let her follow her dreams pushed her to speak up.

"Ms. Morgan, can we talk?"

"What about?" Kendall asked without taking her eyes off her work. Shelby stepped forward a little bit.

"I don't know if you've heard but... I don't have to be a businesswoman anymore."

"Does this mean you're quitting as a waitress?" Kendall asked, shocking Shelby a little bit.

"Quitting? Why would I quit?"

"For one, you're terrible at your job," Kendall stated, glancing over to Shelby for just a moment. "If you were to quit, I could make room on staff for a waitress who actually knows what she's doing."

Shelby frowned, a little hurt by the comment. She had just received good news the night before. She was on cloud nine and thrilled at the idea of following her dreams. Yet, Kendall seemed to be treating her the same as always; pushing her down because she wasn't cut out to be a waitress. Shelby did know the comment wasn't without reason. She had admitted several times that she hated her job and that she was bad when it came to serving other people food. Still, it hurt to think that Kendall still saw her as nothing more than a crappy employee.

"You know what, never mind, Ms. Morgan. I'll just head back upstairs and..."

"Shelby, you didn't let me finish," Kendall said, putting the Charger down and turning away from her laptop. "I'm also advising you to quit your job because it will only serve as a distraction to your studies. I did the employed student route and it really held me back. That's not what I want for you."

"Wait, what?"

"I told your father I'd take you on and I'd really like to prove to him that I knew what I was talking about," Kendall said. "You can quit your job as a waitress to focus on your studies, but I would still like to keep you on at the museum. You can work with our research team, you can continue to join the dig teams, and you can help me down here with my work. Your pay will have to take a hit though, as I'm creating a position for you as a working student and so your compensation will be your education, but I'll be sure you're getting paid enough to support yourself month to month. How does that sound?"

Shelby couldn't bring herself to answer because she wasn't sure she was hearing the purple Ranger right. She stood still, jaw hung open, unable to form even a single sound.

"Shelby, I need a decision from you," Kendall said. "The sooner you let me know what you plan to do, the sooner I can begin looking for a new waitress to take over your job."

"I... I... you're kidding me, right?" Shelby asked. "You're not pulling some kind of prank on me, are you?"

"I don't pull pranks," Kendall answered and Shelby nodded her head.

"I guess you don't. Still, Ms. Morgan you're really... I mean... I thought..."

"I'll admit, I've given you a very, very difficult time," Kendall said. "In spite of that, you've continued to push for what you want. You've created opportunities for yourself, and you've embraced the few opportunities that I have offered you. Through that, you've shown me that you are tenacious enough for a career in science."

"So..." Shelby paused for a bit, trying to think of what to say next. "Does this mean... you're going to..."

"Help you," Kendall nodded her head. "I want you to have a fair chance to prove yourself. I want you to show the world exactly what it is you can do. Of course, your Ranger duties will still be your priority, but while you're here at the museum, you'll be studying, learning and teaching. Does this sound like a fair deal to you?"

Shelby smiled brightly and nodded her head. "Ms. Morgan, you're really... You're giving me a shot?"

"I think you know better than anyone how miserable you would be as a businesswoman," Kendall said. "And as much as you might think otherwise, I've never wanted to see you miserable."

"Thank you, Ms. Morgan," Shelby smiled as she rushed over and swallowed the purple Ranger in a hug. Kendall sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Please, don't make me regret this," she said as she gently pat Shelby's arm. The pink Ranger chuckled as she let go.

"Right. I'll just... I'll be upstairs... doing, uh... what exactly should I be doing right now?"

"I have a few interviews lined up for replacements for your job," Kendall said. "It would be a huge help for me right now if you ended your waitressing career hiring your own replacement. And please, look for someone opposite of you. I really need a waitress who's going to at least like their job."

"On it," Shelby nodded her head as she started to back out of the lab. "And Ms. Morgan, thanks again. You have no idea how much this means to me."


End file.
